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The University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro raised more than $170 million during the Design for Healing Capital Campaign, the largest fund-raising campaign of its kind by a New Jersey hospital and is believed to be the most ever raised by a U.S. hospital of 300 beds or less, according to the hospital’s literature.

PLAINSBORO — As hospitals throughout the country suffered from a lack of funding during the recession of 2008 to 2011, one local hospital was successfully able to complete a record-breaking capital fund-raising campaign and open the doors to a brand new facility.

The University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro raised more than $170 million during the Design for Healing Capital Campaign, the largest fund-raising campaign of its kind by a New Jersey hospital and is believed to be the most ever raised by a U.S. hospital of 300 beds or less, according to the hospital’s literature. Donations passed both the original 2008 goal of $115 million, and the subsequent $150 million goal announced in 2010. This month, the full service, acute care hospital celebrates their first anniversary in its state-of-the-art $137 million facility, according to hospital administrators, who boast that they have an additional $30 million in endowments to pay for facility costs and to fund special programs for underprivileged patients.

“I believe the success of this campaign has to do with the vision we put forward for this brand new health-care facility,” said Joe Stampe, vice president of development for Princeton Healthcare System. “Over 99 percent of those who donated had used the hospital before and really appreciated the care they received and wanted to ensure their family would continue to have access to an exceptional health-care facility.”

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The former building, located on Witherspoon Street in Princeton, was opened in 1919. The hospital grew from its original farmhouse into a traditional structure during a span of 90 years. In order to keep up with medical advances, on Jan. 1, 2006, administrators launched the capital campaign in the hopes the new facility could provide locals with enhanced technology in a serene holistic environment.

Despite a rapidly declining economy, local donors were able to dig deep into their pockets financially to kick-start the process. David and Patricia Atkinson gave the hospital $25 million in 2007 and corporations, such as Bristol-Myers Squibb, which donated $6 million. “In any fund-raising campaign you get a lot of your large supporters early on because they are the ones who are the closest to you, it is called the quiet phase of campaign because your closest ‘friends’ are the ones who donate the most,” said Stampe. “We were able to officially kick off the campaign with 50 percent of the money in hand. By June 2008 we had secured $77 million in gifts.”

Large donors were not the only contributors who helped make the new facility, located off of Route 1 in Plainsboro, more than $100,000 in donations were secured through more modest donations. “We had over 10,000 donors who made gifts to the campaign and 60 percent of them were first time donors,” said Stampe. “Over 90 individuals and families donated $100, $500 or $1,000 and even very modest gifts added up to be very significant.”

The 636,000-square-foot facility boasts 237 single occupancy rooms, a full-floor maternity ward and more than $60 million worth of cutting edge technology, such as the linear accelerator (LINAC). The external beam radiation device, which costs more than $3 million and is only one of three in the state, helps cancer patients by eliminating diseased tissue while protecting healthy tissue in the targeted area.

Using evidence-based research, architects designed single-patient rooms in the shape of a parallelogram with features to reduce falls and infection, increase staff and patient interaction, and include space for family members. The architects of the project took a homeopathic approach to ensure an aesthetically pleasing environment for patients—pumping in fresh air, not circulated air, into each hospital room, painting bright colors on the walls and ensuring the highest level of safety for every patient.

“We noticed that the facility could also aid in the patient’s recovery,” said Stampe. “For example the colors on the wall are bright and beautiful, we have separate elevators for patients and visitors, which should help lessen the spread of disease ... the hospital looks like a hotel because part of the design feature was to create a stress-free soothing, calming environment.”

The two and a half mile move into Plainsboro is also expected to have a positive effect in the community. According to hospital administrators, the move has spurred significant auxiliary medical facility growth in the region. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is expected to open a new pediatric center, and there is even talk of a new nursing home and senior retirement community.